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52nd E3 Prijs Vlaanderen - 1.HC

Belgium, March 28, 2009

Full live report

Live commentary by Bjorn Haake

Hello and welcome back to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the Spring Classics, today from the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen over 208km. It is one of the simplest recipes – take gusty winds, heavy rain showers and lots of warn-out cobbles and you have the ingredients for a classic race. To that you add some 200 motivated riders who don't mind to race in shorts in cold conditions and equally motivated Belgian cycling fans and voilà, your Saturday is saved.

14:33 CET 95km/113km to go
Currently we have a lead group of four riders, with Steve Chainel (BBox Bouygues Télécom), David Boucher (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago), Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) and Jean Zen (Palmans Cras). They are a good six minutes ahead of the peloton.

14:37 CET 112km/96km to go
Westra takes off his west, as currently there is no rain. We will have to slightly correct the km to go to 96 and the gap to 4:13

14:41 CET
A bit of chaos right now in the peloton. No wonder, as they are going through the feed zone. The soigneurs hold out the white musettes on the right hand side of the road. The riders try to make it over and grab the bags, hang them over their shoulders and get the goodies out.

14:43 CET 116km/92km to go
It means slowing down the peloton a bit, but the gap reduces anyway. The bunch has to pay attention, as a small divider on the left hand side of the road is a potential crash zone. Fortunately a policeman secures the scene, but what happens in regular traffic? Seems this unmotivated divider is rather useless...

14:46 CET
Attack by an Vacansoleil ride!

The bunch follows, which is bad news for one of the BBox riders near the front He is still trying to sort out his food, but with the elevated pace he has some trouble to keep the bag upright.

There goes a power bar... We hope he won't miss it later.

14:49 CET
Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Team Saxo Bank) wears Tom Boonen's number, so to speak Boonen was the race four times in a row, from 2004 to 2007. Last year Arvesen won the race ahead of David Kopp (yes, the rider caught doping with the other kind of coke, although he says his drink was spiked).

14:50 CET
Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad) told Cyclingnews' Gregor Brown that "I think that there are some important points in the race. As a team we have to be up front on those points. We have lot of possibilities in the race with George Hincapie and Bernhard Eisel.

"The race is very important for the Tour of Flanders because you can find out where you stand and it acts as preparation. Prior to Flanders, I will head home – no De Panne – and then come back.

14:52 CET 122km/86km to go
The sun comes out a bit! Still, all riders have arm warmers and Chainel even has a wind break on. It's not very aerodynamic, but it sure is warm.

14:57 CET
Now there is a rider who admits lacking a bit. Ivan Dominguez (Fuji-Servetto) has mostly raced in the US so far. He spoke to Brown before the start. "I have no experience at all on the the pavé and I don't really like the rain. I will get a lot of practice in the next days: E3 Prijs, Brabantse Pijl, De Panne and Flanders!"

We can see how a Cuban wouldn't like the rain... but hopefully Dominguez will be OK today and make it through the Belgian races in one piece.

15:00 CET
The gap is going up again, climbing back to more than four minutes. The peloton has slowed down, taking the whole road, chatting and drinking. Marcel Sieberg (Team Columbia-Highroad) takes a sip from his bottle, while Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) rides in second position, his Belgian champ jersey standing out.

We see Haussler near the front too, smiling. The young Aussie-German has all reasons to smile, as his form points towards a very good Ronde van Vlaanderen.

15:08 CET 131km/77km to go
McEwen is accompanied by Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil). The two are still just ahead of the bunch. Does McEwen need camera time?

15:08 CET
They are now rolling over the Kaperij, a 370m long cobble stone section. The riders actually cast shadows!

15:10 CET
Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) clarified his mid-week race to Cyclingnews' Gregor Brown. "On Wednesday at Dwars door Vlaanderen, I did not pull out, it was the team that decided to pull out. Serguei Ivanov's day was done and the team decided to, but I was going alone fine.

"Today will be one for Serguei Ivanov and me, we will decide out on the course how it goes and what we want to do. This race is good for Flanders because all the final climbs are here and it comes only one week away. I will also race De Panne, but in a relaxed manner."

15:12 CET
Half a dozen spectators watch the bunch go by, then immediately run to their cars, likely to catch them at another spot. It is easy with the race weaving back and forth in the same general region.

15:13 CET 134km/74km to go
Chainel had trouble earlier to keep the pace and he is now gone from the front group, as they tackle the second climb of the day, the Berg Stene, with a max of 17%

Current situation

15:15 CET
The peloton has a different problem on the narrow road. A sharp right slows down the front guys and the backend of the peloton comes to a screeching halt, with one rider having to unclip and losing his balance a bit. He catches himself with his left foot ... in a bit of mud, yikes.

15:17 CET 136km/72km to go
Sieberg is still near the front and sucking down a power gel.

The sun is gone again and the peloton rides through a few puddles. A Liquigas rider is near the front and we wonder how ling his sparkling green outfit will still be green or sparkling.

15:19 CET
The peloton rides over the top of the Berg Stene. A Quick Step rider is near the front – Kevin van Impe, the winner of Dwars door Vlaanderen.

Sylvain Chavanel is also near the front, actually he is now off the front, but just by a mere metre. No attack yet from the Frenchman.

15:20 CET
Another rider near the front is George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad). He told Brown before the race about his favourite part of the season.

"It feels good to be back in Belgium. These next races are obviously very important to me. ... Today we will see what happens with Bernhard Eisel, Marcus Burghardt and me. We are the protected riders and we think to be in the finale with the favourites."

15:21 CET
The 1000-metre long Boigneberg is next for the three leaders. Still no cobbles on a climb and with a max of 12% it is not undoable.

15:25 CET 141km/67km to go
Another stop for the peloton as the small country roads just can't hold such a large peloton.

McEwen and Hoogerland are still off the front, apparently, but we have no information about the time gaps right now. It should be a good minute.

15:27 CET
More chaos in the bunch. An Astana rider went into the green part on the left hand side, while a Cervélo rider is stopping, radio-ing for help. He has a mechanical.

15:28 CET
Tom Boonen has joined his Quick Steppies at the front. He told Brown that his season is starting now. "E3 is the first really big appointment for me. ... The team is good, but there are some other teams that are also good. We have to see how the race evolves and what other teams are in the finale. It will not only be Quick Step, I am sure of that. We will watch for Cervélo, Rabobank with Flecha and Highroad with Hincapie."

15:29 CET
The break hits the Eikenberg. Finally some uphill cobbles. 1000m long and an average of 5%.

On the back, Skil has some trouble, with Koen de Kort receiving a wheel from a teammate.

15:30 CET
Cervélo has hit the front of the race. Once again, the new team means business. They have five riders on the front. Since the road is narrow, only take the front, with one behind. The other teams see black from the back

15:36 CET
Devolder shoots off the front, accelerating hard. This is close to the top, but still he creates a small gap with Flecha and a Cervélo rider.

15:38 CET 148km/60km to go
The peloton catches up shortly after the top, though.

But it was a first test. The speed is flat out, with the peloton single-file. The gap to the front has dropped below the five-minute mark again.

15:39 CET
The leaders are on the Stationsberg. Only 750m in length and only a little more than 3% avg. But it has cobbles....

15:40 CET 149km/59km to go
Roy Sentjens (Silence-Lotto) has a flat. He gets a wheel from teammate Sebastian Lang.

15:41 CET
Murilo Fischer (Liquigas) told Brown about today's race. "I am doing well today; this is my second time in Belgium after racing Het Volk at the end of last month. I will start to get used to the rhythm and the nervousness of these races in Belgium. Today, with the climbs, it is a little Flanders. But Ronde is more nervous and more important – there are the bigger named riders there.

"To win is always the principle objective. We want to be a part of the race, up at front and finish with the most riders possible. We have a young team with Oss, Guarnieri, Bodnar, and then the experienced ones like Franzoi, Quinziato and me. The young can learn from us how to race in Belgium."

15:42 CET
The acceleration over the flat part after the Eikenberg has reduced the peloton to some 50-60 riders.

They hit the Stationsberg and may shed more riders after this one.

15:44 CET
That's what these races are - elimination races. Who can hang on the longest.

Not this kid, who tries to run alongside the group of favourites. No chance against a Van-Impe led peloton.

Frédéric Guesdon (Française des Jeux) crashes on the cobbles, on the right hand side of the road. Not really clear what happened but it looks painful.. He slowly gets up and gets going again.

15:45 CET
Boucher in the front also has a flat. He has to stop, while the other two go on.

It looks as McEwen and Hoogerland are back in the sight of the peloton.

15:46 CET
Cervélo and Rabobank are w near the front of the bunch.

Four minutes further up, Westra and Zen are going up the Taaienberg.

15:47 CET 153km/55km to go
The Taaienberg is cobbled and there are trees, so it is often slippery. But it has one advantage - a nice smooth gutter! The front two take advantage of it and the spectators are nice enough to leave some room.

15:49 CET
Bad luck for Burghardt, he has a flat. He gets a quick change from the yellow... no, not Mavic support, but his own teammate, Sieberg.

15:49 CET
The bunch hits the Taaienberg and Boonen storms away right at the bottom!!!

15:50 CET
He still has a west on and a cap under his helmet, labouring up in the gutter. He has about 70m on the Cervélos and Rabos behind

15:50 CET 155km/53km to go
The gutter gets muddy at the top and eventually Boonen has enough of cyclo-cross and jumps back on the cobbles.

15:51 CET
It looks as Hushovd and Flecha have caught up with Boonen

15:52 CET
Flecha and Hushovd check back to see what is happening behind. The pace slows down as Boonen drops into third place behind the others.

Boucher reaches the leaders again, after his mechanical is fixed. But that sure cost him some strength.

15:53 CET
McEwen and Hoogerland are about to be caught by the Boonen group.

The latter group has grown, as Niki Terpstra (Milram) has joined.

15:55 CET
Several other riders have also reached the Boonen group.

Terpstra has attacked the Boonen group. He reaches McEwen, who waits for the others, and Hoogerland.

15:56 CET 158km/50km to go
Hoogerland and Terpstra have a brief conversation. Looks like they said "What the heck, let's go!!!" And off they are.

15:57 CET
But behind the peloton has regrouped and Hoogerland and Terpstra realise it's not worth it. The front group is now about 25-30 strong.

Current situation

16:09 CET
The riders have left the main road and go through the typical meandering small country roads. It is a rolling hill area and the front group looks like it could do with a flatter section now.

16:10 CET
Leif Hoste (Silence-Lotto) talked to Brown before the start. He has finished second a couple of times in the Ronde and wants to finally win it. "For the moment the season is not so good, for the team and for me, but it is getting better. So far I have not had any nice results. Okay I was sick and I had a little bit of bad luck, but I hope that changes from now on.

"I will not save myself [for the Ronde]. A race like today's is not just for preparation, it is an important and nice race."

16:10 CET
The good news for Lotto is that Cadel Evans has a stage in the Coppi e Bartali today.

16:12 CET 168km/40km to go
The good news for Flecha is that he is getting closer to the front group, the bad news is: So is the group behind and at a faster rate. Flecha has only 20 secs.

Cervélo has taken over the front

16:14 CET
Flecha checks back and also gets some instructions over the radio.

He will be caught soon. Gabriel Rasch (Cervélo TestTeam) drops his chain. He has to chase back

16:15 CET
The Paterberg! Another beast. It also has a gutter (on the left) that the riders can use. But they will have to jump out halfway up.

16:15 CET
The Paterberg averages 12.5% and has max of 2%

Flecha is about 100m ahead of the bunch

16:16 CET
Westra was the first over the top of the front group

It is Boonen again on the attack, reducing the gap to Flecha, who labours hard in the gutter

16:17 CET
Flecha hits the top. Boonen is four secs back

The others are coming over the top one by one.

16:18 CET
Jeremy Hunt is one of the last riders going over the top. He is not exactly flying and we can't blame him. The Paterberg is a real toughy. He comes right before the Koppenberg in the Ronde next week. That'll soften up the legs.

16:19 CET
About 15 riders have come together now. Eisel is on the front.

Boonen does most of the work. His DS may not like it. He pulls alongside Boonen and offers some advice.

16:59 CET
Next to get some tips is Pozzato, who continues to check out his competitors from behind a bit.

16:59 CET
Three time's a charm, so Iglinskiy is also visited by his team car. The gap is now at 41 secs.

17:01 CET
Pozzato is out of the saddle, sitting in third spot again, while Boonen is leading. Pozzato's bike sure could use a wash.

The three switch through now well. Pozzato is on the front.

17:02 CET 199km/9km to go
Everything points to an exciting showdown between Pozzato and Boonen. Iglinskiy looks a bit spent, but maybe he can surprise the other two and profit from a tactical block of the other two.

17:03 CET
Despite the other group having more manpower the gap stays around three quarters of a minute. With only nine km to go this should be in the bag for the podium.

17:04 CET
A divider comes up. Several policemen wave their yellow flags, indicating to the tired riders there is a dangerous spot.

The fans use the divider as the grand stand.

17:06 CET
Hmmm, Boonen zips up his jersey. A little early, but maybe he is just getting cold, as it is still a tad windy.

However, the tough Belgian has no gloves, unlike his two companions who have full finger gloves.

17:07 CET 202km/6km to go
It is a 'team' pursuit, with the smaller team having the upper hand. The gap is still 46 secs, with six km to go.

17:08 CET 203km/5km to go
The leaders ride over a bridge. It is starting to rain.... they were so close to the finish...

The front trio passes the 5km to go sign

17:09 CET
Boonen flicks his left arm, indicating to Pozzato he has had enough at the front and wants the Italian to come through.

17:10 CET
After his turn Pozzato stretches a bit. You can get stiff after a long day in the saddle, riding through the cold and wet Belgium.

17:12 CET 205km/3km to go
The group behind has given up, the lead is almost a minute.

Boonen fiddles with his shoes, but he won't be able to tighten his straps, with his (once white) shoe covers on top.

17:12 CET 206km/2km to go
The leaders pass the 2km to go sign, shortly after the chasers pass the three to go sign...

17:13 CET
They are still pulling three in the front, no gambling just get.

Who will take this year's E3 Prijs?

17:13 CET
Boonen looks at Pozzato, checking out the Italian

17:14 CET 207km/1km to go
Iglinskiy stays in the back for now.

Pozzato leads them through the one km to go sign

17:14 CET
Pozzato would like Boonen to take over, but the Belgian politely declines.

17:15 CET
The games have begun. Boonen is forced into first position

17:15 CET
Boonen is on the right, next to the barrier, looking nervous

17:15 CET
Pozzato is the first to go!

17:16 CET
Boonen responds, both giving it all

17:16 CET
This is tight!

17:16 CET
Iglinskiy holds his own!!!

17:16 CET
The three are side by side, but Pozzato slightly ahead

17:16 CET
Pozzato takes it!!!

17:17 CET
Boonen is a close second, Iglinsky comes in third

17:48 CET
Haussler and Hoste were almost three minutes back.

If today is an indicator we can really look forward to the Ronde van Vlaanderen in one week.